Homily, April 14, 2024
From The Pastor
This sign of the Cross is both an external and internal sign of faith for those who believe. Externally the sign of the Cross is a simple gesture of self-blessing. It is either public in a liturgical service or private as a devotional beginning of personal prayer. Signs have meanings. They serve a purpose. When used reverently with sincere faith they elicit the power of grace.
In the early Church, the sign of the Cross was small, made only on the forehead of the believer. In time, the sign of the Cross was expanded to include the forehead, chest, and shoulders. What does this sign mean, and why is it important?
The sign of the Cross is the sign of our redemption in the dying and rising of Jesus. In the spirit realm it serves as a protection as a shield of faith over the believer. Notice the movements that are made and what they signify. The sign of the Cross is a covering of grace, a profession of faith, and defense against the tensions of the world. The Cross bore the weight of our sin. Jesus carried the Cross on the road to Calvary. Once nailed to the Cross, it was the Cross that carried Jesus. Ponder that. Consider thanking the Cross for bearing the weight of your sin and mine in the person of Jesus.
The sign of the Cross is a visible expression of faith. We start at the top with the right hand touching the forehead saying, “In the name of the Father.” Why? The Father is the beginning, the source and principle of life. The right hand then moves down to the heart saying, “and of the Son.” The Father sends the Son from heaven to share in our human experience. A pure gift of becoming one with us. Jesus lives in our hearts with love. This coming down is a clear expression of the Incarnation. God chooses to share our humble human state.
From the heart, the right hand moves to the left shoulder and back to the right shoulder saying, “and of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the communion of love shared between and among the three persons of the Holy Trinity. The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify, to make us holy in the holiness of Jesus. The Holy Spirit also works to bring unity within each person and among all persons. It is the Holy Spirit that connects us not only to God, but also to one another. As the Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Father and the Son, it is the Spirit within us that leads us to love others in unity and connected community. Our whole life is dependent on and enriched by the power of the Cross and the Divine life it conveys to us.
The sign of the Cross is a sign of both giving and receiving. As the priest blesses us in the outward motion of his right hand toward the people, the people with an inward motion of the right hand receive the blessing given as they mark themselves with the sign of the Cross sent to them. This is an important action. A gift sent can only be a gift if it is received. I find this particularly notable in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As the priest prays the prayer of absolution, making the sign of the Cross over the penitent, the penitent receives the action of forgiveness by making the sign of the Cross over them self.
The sign of the Cross is a common gesture. Common things are often done half-heartedly. The sign of the Cross is powerful and meaningful. Use it as a sign of faith with an active desire to accept the fruit of your redemption in the grace it conveys.
The sign of the Cross for the disciples was Jesus himself. Notice their response to his physical presence on the evening of the Resurrection. They are startled and terrified, only consoled by the words of Jesus, “Peace be with you.” Familiar words in a familiar voice. Jesus further proves his authentic presence inviting the others to touch him, to see his hands and feet to confirm his identity. With the disciples now filled with joy, Jesus persists in his confirmed presence. “Have you something to eat?” He was given a piece of fish and ate it in front of them.
Jesus is giving witness to himself as risen from the dead. He had no need to prove his death. That was all too real. Jesus affirms his reality through the words of Moses, the prophets, and his own words to his dearest friends. All that was promised by those who preceded him is now fulfilled.
The gospel is dependent on signs and wonders. Words alone are powerful, but they are made authentic by actions, and lived experience. Through a personal encounter with the risen Lord the disciples confirmed the Resurrection. The fact that many of them were so convinced of the Lord’s living presence, they gave their lives in his name. We are called to do the same. The sign of the Cross is also a commissioning, a sending forth to serve in love. As the gospel concludes, “You are witnesses of these things.” Go forth and love in the name of Jesus. Begin each day by making a devoted sign of the Cross over yourself.
Father John Esper
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